1. Technical Field
The embodiments described herein are related to systems and methods for performance training based on position tracking, movement mechanics and functional strength development, as well as systems and methods for evaluating physical performance.
2. Related Art
Athletes often employ various training systems and/or methods to improve athletic performance. Such training systems and/or methods can be divided into at least two groups. One such group includes training systems and methods which are primarily aimed at improving or maintaining the physical conditioning of the athlete. Thus, such athletic conditioning training systems and methods are generally configured to improve or maintain the strength and stamina of the athlete. An example of a conditioning training system is a set of weights for weightlifting. Similarly, an example of a conditioning training method is a method of using such weights to increase strength and stamina of an athlete.
The other of the two groups of athletic training systems and methods includes systems and methods that are aimed primarily at improving or maintaining an athletic technique. As used herein, “technique” refers to the manner in which an athlete executes an athletic maneuver such as running, jumping, throwing, and the like. Thus, such athletic technique training systems and methods are generally configured to improve or maintain an athlete's form, body positioning, and movement while performing an athletic maneuver.
The technique possessed by an athlete can be as important, if not more important, than the strength and/or stamina of the athlete. For example, assuming all other factors are equal, an athlete of inferior conditioning and stamina who possesses superior technique can sometimes out-perform an athlete of superior conditioning and stamina who possesses inferior technique. Superior athletic technique, then, can be a determining factor in the outcome of any given athletic event such as a game or other competition.
The training systems which improve or maintain an athletic technique primarily use physical sensors which are placed on the body of the athlete in order to measure the athlete's movement and position. The sensors may provide visual tracking of the movement and position to an image capture device or provide actual data on movement and position via components within the sensors which are equipped to measure movement and position. However, the use of these sensors limits the applicability of these training systems to environments where the sensors can be attached to the user or where specialized equipment is available to read the data generated by the sensors. The training system may require a specially-designed space, thus limiting the applicability to athletes who are engaged in normal training that is on a field, outdoors or with a team.